Food is healing. Whenever something went wrong when I was young — if I had a pimple or if my hair broke — my mom would say, "Sister mine, I'm going to make you some soup." And I really thought the soup would make my pimple go away or my hair stronger. My mom would serve it to our whole family, but I knew it was special for me.

My first lesson in the kitchen: Wash your hands. If I walked into the kitchen without washing my hands as a kid, I'd hear a loud "A-hem!" from my mother or grandmother. Now I count on other people to do the same.

I plan my meals in the bathtub. I think about each step, from what I'll take out of the freezer to how I'm going to make it. I can have dinner ready in 45 minutes because I've thought about my every move.

People get tired of turkey after Thanksgiving. When I cook for my family on Christmas, I make feijoada, a South American dish of roasted and smoked meats like ham, pork, beef, lamb, and bacon — all served with black beans and rice. It's festive but different.

Traditions get better with time. Every December, I host a tree-trimming party. I serve chili with cornbread and lots of good wine. It's a wonderful party, and it shows how much adults like to play. I put out ornaments in four different colors, and I name captains for the red team, blue team, green team, and silver team. You hear them getting into it and shouting, "Don't put the blue ball there; it's too close to my red!" But every year, the tree looks more beautiful.

—AS TOLD TO NICOLE YORIO

I COULDN'T COOK WITHOUT:

MEYER LEMON JUICE "I squeeze the juice from Meyer lemons and freeze it in ice-cube trays."

ONIONS, GARLIC, AND CELERY "I sauté them in olive oil as a base for pasta sauces, beef bourguignonne, lamb curry, and smothered chicken."

CANNED BEANS "I use every kind — kidney, pinto, garbanzo. I toss a variety with vinaigrette for a salad."

1. Sprinkle the beef with the flour in a bowl and mix together. Set aside.

2. In a 6- to 8-quart pot, cook the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the meat mixture and Red Chile Sauce (if desired) to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the cilantro, cumin, cloves, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, tomatoes and their liquid, and stock. Simmer, uncovered, until the meat is very tender, about 1 hour, stirring often.

SERVES 4 TO 6. Serving size: 1/2 cup of chili over 1/2 cup of rice.

For a more flavorful dish, cook and refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before serving. Or place in zippered bags and freeze to be used with a hot dog at a later date. And for a spicier kick, add more Red Chile Sauce (below) to taste.